What Is the Statue of Liberty’s Real Name?

Most people call it the “Statue of Liberty,” but that is only its nickname. Its proper name is Liberty Enlightening the world, and it is located on Liberty Island in New York Harbor. The Robed Lady stands for liberty.

The female form represented by the sculpture is based on Libertas, the Roman goddess of liberty. She holds a torch above her head and a tabula ansata (tablet) that has the date of the American Declaration of Independence inscribed in it (July 4, 1776).

If you visit Liberty Island, you can climb a spiral stairway inside the statue and look through windows in the crown. At night, special lights in the torch make it look as though it is really burning.

To make the statue, sheets of copper were hammered into shape and put together over an iron framework. The statue was assembled on its pedestal after being constructed in France and sent to the US in crates. It was dedicated on October 28, 1886.

Content for this question contributed by Linda Spain, resident of Caldwell, Texas, USA